ANS-C01 Network Design Practice Question
A company needs to ensure that all traffic between their VPC and on-premises network is encrypted. Which solution meets this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
The ANS-C01 exam often tests the misconception that Direct Connect alone provides encryption, but it does not; encryption must be explicitly added, and the trap is that candidates assume 'private' equals 'encrypted'.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
AWS Site-to-Site VPN creates an encrypted IPsec tunnel between the VPC and on-premises network, ensuring all traffic is encrypted over the public internet. This meets the requirement for mandatory encryption, unlike unencrypted options such as Direct Connect or VPC Peering.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Direct Connect with a private VIF
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect does not encrypt traffic; it provides a dedicated, private connection but without encryption.
- ✗
VPC Peering connection
Why it's wrong here
VPC Peering is for connecting VPCs, not on-premises networks.
- ✗
AWS Internet Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Internet Gateway allows internet access but does not encrypt traffic.
- ✓
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
Why this is correct
Site-to-Site VPN creates IPsec encrypted tunnels over the internet.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ANS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ANS-C01 exam.